What is the back of house?

There are many areas in a restaurant that customers do not see or have access to. These areas are called the back of house, abbreviated as BOH. The back of house is the part of the restaurant where most of the behind-the-scenes work occurs before the food is plated and ready to be served to the customers.

The back of house areas of a restaurant may include the kitchen, storage rooms for food and other supplies, receiving areas, areas where deliveries come in, areas where the employees take breaks, and the office where administrative work is done. The back of house employees do not directly interact with the customers, but they have to adhere to proper food handling practices, including wearing clean uniforms and aprons when working.

What is the significance of Back of House?

The back-of-house staff is important for the smooth running of a restaurant. Back-of-house activities are those that take place behind the scenes and are not visible to customers.

The back of house is usually restricted to employees only and usually consists of areas where food preparation and other restaurant activities take place.

Some of the employees usually found in the back of the house include chefs, cooks, and dishwashers. In some restaurants, a hierarchy exists in the kitchen where every employee is assigned a specific duty for the smooth running of activities.